Update: A deal has been reached. Crisis averted. Viacom is demanding that Time Warner Cable pay more for the right to broadcast its networks, but TWC has refused. Tonight at midnight, 13.3 million subscribers in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Cleveland will feel the effects of the stalemate first hand when Viacom makes good on its threat to pull all of its networks from TWC. Translation: no more “The Daily Show,” “Dora the Explorer,” “The Colbert Report,” “The Hills,” etc. But hey, there’s always Hulu and BitTorrent, right?
television
Ex-TV Service Installer Explains It All, Tells You How to Fight Back
By 12.30.08
Consumerist TaterTom explains the process behind Television Service Installation, and gives us a few great ways to make sure your dollar is going somewhere well deserved. You rock, Tatertom. His in-depth letter after the jump.
3 DTV Switch Myths You Can Debunk Over The Holidays
By 12.24.08
Judging by our inbox, there are still a lot of people who don’t understand the Digital Broadcast Television Switch. Here are some myths that you can help debunk at your next family gathering.
Tell A Friend: You WILL NOT Need Cable After The Digital TV Switch
By 12.22.08
There are apparently huge amounts of people in the country that believe you will need to subscribe to cable after the “digital tv transition” in February. This is not true.
Some Digital TV Advice In Plain English
By 12.19.08
You know, the coming switch to digital TV isn’t exactly rocket science, but we’re betting plenty of people are still going to end up feeling confused and angry come February of next year.
How To Cancel Cable/Satellite TV Without Being Miserable
By 12.19.08
CNet has an article about a couple who saw the writing on the wall, recession-wise, and canceled their satellite TV package. Surprisingly, they are, in fact, still alive and not at all depressed.
Always Test The Merchandise Before Demonstrating It
By 9.22.08
Where is the salesman in this screencap? He’s behind the table, holding his ribcage and crying out in pain. Don’t keep striking your $45 samurai blade against the table, kids—otherwise you might find yourself saying things like, “Ohhh, that got me good,” instead of talking about the awesome swordlike qualities of your sword.
By 9.19.08
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Tonight’s premiere of “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” is about cannibalism and hunting men for sport. The unfortunately-placed McDonald’s commercial halfway through the show featured a guy swinging a bat at his friend because he smells food, and then everyone else at the party swarming over the fallen friend to feast. Awkward!
Video: Whoopi Wants Her DirecTV Fixed, And Sherri Wants To Speak To Your Supervisor
By 9.16.08
If you’ve ever wanted to see the rants from angry Consumerist tipsters brought to life by the woman who played Patrick Swayze in “Ghost,” here ya go—although Sherri Shephard is actually a bit funnier, describing how the Time Warner CSR makes her go to an evil place. Seen here is Shephard letting out the evil because of the CSR who tells her, “Well my supervisor is going to say the same thing.” Video clip below.
By 8.20.08
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NBC and General Mills are planning on launching a “Biggest Loser” line of food this fall. The idea of someone sitting at home watching that show while munching a “Biggest Loser” energy bar is deeply depressing. [Entertainment Marketing Letter]
FCC Plans Road Trip To Educate America About Digital TV
By 8.20.08
…the five FCC Commissioners and other Commission staff will fan out to [selected] markets to raise awareness and educate consumers.
It's A Miracle! This Free Digital TV Converter Box Will Cost Me $100
By 7.9.08
We know you’re too smart to fall for this ridiculously fraudulent digital TV converter offer, but maybe you know someone who’s not wise to the facts of the upcoming switch to digital TV—specifically that converter boxes cost less than $100, and that you can get a government coupon to offset $40 of that cost. Universal TechTronics—the same scam outfit behind those “Amish” Heat Surge miracle fireplaces—is now conning the less knowledegable with their “free” converter box offer: pay nothing but a warranty and shipping, bringing the total cost to anywhere between $68 and $97. The Los Angeles Times says this is “the first large-scale [converter box] scam the Better Business Bureau has seen.”
Circuit City Calls The Cops On Customer Who Tried To Redeem $40 DTV Coupon
By 6.22.08
Circuit City wouldn’t let Larry redeem his $40 digital transition converter box coupon unless he signed a credit slip agreeing to pay $40. Larry refused, and asked to cancel the transaction. Circuit City’s manager responded by calling the police before following Larry into the parking lot to write down his license plate number.
This Coloring Book Helps Children And Grownups Understand HDTV
By 6.19.08
Reader Andy sent us this great coloring book he made that helps explain high definition television to children, parents, and luddites.
Don't Let Comcast Charge You Double For One M-Card
By 6.9.08
If you’re a Comcast cable TV customer and they sent you a M-Card, a card that lets you use two tuners off the same cable card, make sure you’re not getting double-charged, reports blogger Christopher Price. They were charging him double for one card and he had to call them up and remind them that FCC policy mandates one free CableCARD per household to get them to manually remove the charge. Chris says, “If you have an M-Card, check your bill. If you don’t have an M-Card, request one from Comcast and save yourself $21.48 per year… they’re already getting enough of your hard earned money.”
Cable: The Worst Deal Of The Decade
By 5.24.08
The price of everything in the telecom world has fallen over the past decade, except for cable. Cable is now 77% more expensive than it was ten years ago, an increase that dwarfs the rate of inflation and makes telecom executives salivate. The Times looks with pity on all of us who splay our wallets wide for the industry, and asks if there’s any salvation other than à la carte pricing.
Verizon Infuriates Baseball Fans With "Misleading" Blog Post "Announcing" MLB Extra Innings On FiOS
By 5.2.08
Back in February of this year, Verizon posted the following message titled “MLB Coming to FiOS, Mom and Apple Pie Rejoice!” on their Policy Blog:
